US20110227324A1 - Paratransit lift with safety belts - Google Patents
Paratransit lift with safety belts Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20110227324A1 US20110227324A1 US13/049,354 US201113049354A US2011227324A1 US 20110227324 A1 US20110227324 A1 US 20110227324A1 US 201113049354 A US201113049354 A US 201113049354A US 2011227324 A1 US2011227324 A1 US 2011227324A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- lift
- paratransit
- webbing
- safety belt
- attached
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
- A61G3/00—Ambulance aspects of vehicles; Vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances, e.g. for facilitating access of, or for loading, wheelchairs
- A61G3/08—Accommodating or securing wheelchairs or stretchers
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
- A61G3/00—Ambulance aspects of vehicles; Vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances, e.g. for facilitating access of, or for loading, wheelchairs
- A61G3/02—Loading or unloading personal conveyances; Facilitating access of patients or disabled persons to, or exit from, vehicles
- A61G3/06—Transfer using ramps, lifts or the like
- A61G3/062—Transfer using ramps, lifts or the like using lifts connected to the vehicle
Definitions
- the present invention generally relates to paratransit lift systems and more particularly to safety devices from such lifts.
- Paratransit lifts typically provide an elevating platform onto which a person with limited personal mobility may be positioned for transfer between ground level and a floor of a vehicle.
- the limited-mobility person may be in a wheel chair or may use a walker.
- the person may enter the platform with or without assistance. In either case, there is a risk that the person and/or the person's wheel chair may not remain securely on the platform as the platform moves to an elevated or lowered position.
- a paratransit lift may comprise at least one safety belt with separable components wherein the components are configured for attachment of the lift without any alteration of the lift structure.
- a safety belt for a paratransit lift may comprise: two lengths of webbing; a separable latch positioned between the two lengths of webbing at first ends of the webbing; and bolt-attachment grommets at second ends of the webbing opposite the first ends.
- a safety belt for a paratransit lift may comprise: two lengths of webbing; a separable latch positioned between the two lengths of webbing at first ends of the webbing; and attachment loops at second ends of the webbing opposite the first ends.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a paratransit lift in accordance with an embodiment of the invention
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the paratransit lift of FIG. 1 in a raised position
- FIG. 3 is a plan view of a rear safety belt in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a front safety belt in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 5 is a detailed view of a loop portion of the safety belt of FIG. 4 .
- embodiments of the present invention generally provide safety belts at a front and a back side of a paratransit lift that may prevent an occupant of the lift from accidentally falling from the lift.
- a paratransit lift 100 may comprise a platform 102 , lifting arms 104 and handles 106 .
- the lift 100 may be attached to a vehicle so that a person may enter the platform 102 and be lowered to the ground or lifted to floor height of the vehicle.
- the lift 100 may be provided with a rear safety belt 10 and a front safety belt 11 .
- the safety belts 10 and 11 may be provided with latches 20 (e.g., seat-belt latches) so that the safety belts may be opened or closed as desired.
- latches 20 e.g., seat-belt latches
- the front safety belt 11 may be kept closed and the rear belt 10 may be opened.
- the rear safety belt 10 may be closed.
- the lift platform 102 moves to ground level, the occupant may be prevented from falling from the platform 102 even if the occupant inadvertently tilts a wheelchair backward or moves the wheel chair forward. This process may be reversed when the occupant is moved from ground level to floor level of the vehicle.
- the safety belts 10 and 11 may be configured so that they may be attached to a conventional paratransit lift without a need for any modifications of the lift.
- the rear safety belt 10 may comprise two lengths of webbing 12 (e.g., nylon webbing).
- the latch 20 may be attached to the webbing 12 with box stitching 18 .
- Abrasion resistant reinforcement 14 e.g. Kevlar® fabric
- the grommet 16 may be large enough to accommodate a bolt 17 so that the safety belt 10 may be attached to the lifting arms 104 with bolts 17 .
- conventional paratransit lifts typically have assembly bolts located on each of the lifting arms 104 . One or more of these assembly bolt locations may be employed for the bolt 17 .
- a preexisting bolt of the lift 100 may be removed and the bolt 17 may be passed through the grommet 16 and then placed into a pre-existing bolt location in the arm 104 , thus precluding a need to perform any drilling or other modifications of the paratransit lift.
- the front safety belt 11 may comprise two lengths of the webbing 12 .
- the latch 20 may be attached to the webbing 12 with box stitching 18 .
- Attachment loops 32 may be formed at ends of the webbing 12 .
- the loops 32 may be employed to attach the front safety belt 11 to the handles 106 of the lift 100 .
- a hook and loop attachment system (e.g., Velcro®) may be employed for holding the front safety belt 11 on the lift 100 .
- Each of the handles 106 of the lift 100 may be wrapped with a piece of hook and loop material (e.g., a hook member 22 ).
- the hook member 22 may be adhesively secured to the handle 106 .
- a piece of the hook and loop material (e.g., a loop member 24 ) may be adhesively secured within the loop 32 .
- the hook member 22 and the loop member 24 may engage with one another to hold the safety belt 11 in position on the handle 106 .
- the rear safety belt 10 there is no need to perform any modification of the lift 100 in order to attach the front safety belt 11 to the lift 100 .
- abrasion reinforcement 14 may be applied to the safety belt 11 so that chafing damage of the belt 11 may be prevented when the lift platform 102 is in its retracted position as shown in FIG. 2 . Additionally the safety belt 11 may be provided with length-adjustment buckles 3
- the latches 20 may be provided with an internal battery-operated audible alarm system that may notify a lift operator that the latches 20 may not be connected as required.
Abstract
A paratransit lift is provided with safety belts with separable components. The components are configured for attachment of the lift without any alteration of the lift structure.
Description
- This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Applications No. 61314722 filed on Mar. 17, 2010 and No. 61347250 filed on May 21, 2010.
- The present invention generally relates to paratransit lift systems and more particularly to safety devices from such lifts.
- Paratransit lifts typically provide an elevating platform onto which a person with limited personal mobility may be positioned for transfer between ground level and a floor of a vehicle. For example, the limited-mobility person may be in a wheel chair or may use a walker. The person may enter the platform with or without assistance. In either case, there is a risk that the person and/or the person's wheel chair may not remain securely on the platform as the platform moves to an elevated or lowered position.
- As can be seen, there is a need for a safety system that may be employed to assure that an occupant of a paratransit lift platform may be prevented from accidentally falling from the platform. Additionally, there is a need for such a system that may be conveniently used by an operator of the lift and does not require modifications of the lift which might require regulatory re-certification of the lift.
- In one aspect of the present invention, a paratransit lift may comprise at least one safety belt with separable components wherein the components are configured for attachment of the lift without any alteration of the lift structure.
- In another aspect of the present invention, a safety belt for a paratransit lift may comprise: two lengths of webbing; a separable latch positioned between the two lengths of webbing at first ends of the webbing; and bolt-attachment grommets at second ends of the webbing opposite the first ends.
- In still another aspect of the present invention, a safety belt for a paratransit lift may comprise: two lengths of webbing; a separable latch positioned between the two lengths of webbing at first ends of the webbing; and attachment loops at second ends of the webbing opposite the first ends.
- These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a paratransit lift in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the paratransit lift ofFIG. 1 in a raised position; -
FIG. 3 is a plan view of a rear safety belt in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; -
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a front safety belt in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and -
FIG. 5 is a detailed view of a loop portion of the safety belt ofFIG. 4 . - The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
- Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features.
- Broadly, embodiments of the present invention generally provide safety belts at a front and a back side of a paratransit lift that may prevent an occupant of the lift from accidentally falling from the lift.
- Referring now to
FIGS. 1 and 2 it may be seen that aparatransit lift 100 may comprise aplatform 102, liftingarms 104 and handles 106. In operation, thelift 100 may be attached to a vehicle so that a person may enter theplatform 102 and be lowered to the ground or lifted to floor height of the vehicle. - The
lift 100 may be provided with arear safety belt 10 and afront safety belt 11. Thesafety belts platform 102 from the vehicle, thefront safety belt 11 may be kept closed and therear belt 10 may be opened. After the occupant is on theplatform 102, therear safety belt 10 may be closed. As thelift platform 102 moves to ground level, the occupant may be prevented from falling from theplatform 102 even if the occupant inadvertently tilts a wheelchair backward or moves the wheel chair forward. This process may be reversed when the occupant is moved from ground level to floor level of the vehicle. - In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the
safety belts - Referring now to
FIG. 3 , therear safety belt 10 may comprise two lengths of webbing 12 (e.g., nylon webbing). Thelatch 20 may be attached to thewebbing 12 withbox stitching 18. Abrasion resistant reinforcement 14 (e.g. Kevlar® fabric) may be attached to ends of thewebbing 12 and agrommet 16 may be placed through thereinforcement 14 and thewebbing 12. Thegrommet 16 may be large enough to accommodate abolt 17 so that thesafety belt 10 may be attached to the liftingarms 104 withbolts 17. It may be noted that conventional paratransit lifts typically have assembly bolts located on each of the liftingarms 104. One or more of these assembly bolt locations may be employed for thebolt 17. A preexisting bolt of thelift 100 may be removed and thebolt 17 may be passed through thegrommet 16 and then placed into a pre-existing bolt location in thearm 104, thus precluding a need to perform any drilling or other modifications of the paratransit lift. - Referring now to
FIGS. 4 and 5 , thefront safety belt 11 may comprise two lengths of thewebbing 12. Thelatch 20 may be attached to thewebbing 12 withbox stitching 18.Attachment loops 32 may be formed at ends of thewebbing 12. Theloops 32 may be employed to attach thefront safety belt 11 to thehandles 106 of thelift 100. - Referring now to
FIG. 5 , it may be seen that a hook and loop attachment system (e.g., Velcro®) may be employed for holding thefront safety belt 11 on thelift 100. Each of thehandles 106 of thelift 100 may be wrapped with a piece of hook and loop material (e.g., a hook member 22). Thehook member 22 may be adhesively secured to thehandle 106. A piece of the hook and loop material (e.g., a loop member 24) may be adhesively secured within theloop 32. When theloop 32 is placed over thehandle 106 thehook member 22 and theloop member 24 may engage with one another to hold thesafety belt 11 in position on thehandle 106. As is the case with therear safety belt 10, there is no need to perform any modification of thelift 100 in order to attach thefront safety belt 11 to thelift 100. - Some of the
abrasion reinforcement 14 may be applied to thesafety belt 11 so that chafing damage of thebelt 11 may be prevented when thelift platform 102 is in its retracted position as shown inFIG. 2 . Additionally thesafety belt 11 may be provided with length-adjustment buckles 3 - The
latches 20 may be provided with an internal battery-operated audible alarm system that may notify a lift operator that thelatches 20 may not be connected as required. - It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
Claims (10)
1. A paratransit lift comprising at least one safety belt with separable components wherein the components are configured for attachment of the lift without any alteration of the lift structure.
2. The paratransit lift of claim 1 wherein the components are attached to handles of the lift with hook and loop fastening material.
3. The paratransit lift of claim 1 wherein the components are attached to lifting arms of the lift with bolts placed at preexisting bolt locations.
4. The paratransit lift of claim 1 comprising:
a front safety belt with its separable components attached to handles of the lift with hook and loop fastening material; and
a rear safety belt with its separable components attached to lifting arms of the lift with bolts placed at preexisting bolt locations.
5. The paratransit lift of claim 4 wherein the front and rear safety belts comprise latches with internal audible alarms that sound when the latches are not connected.
6. A safety belt for a paratransit lift comprising;
two lengths of webbing;
a separable latch positioned between the two lengths of webbing at first ends of the webbing; and
bolt-attachment grommets at second ends of the webbing opposite the first ends.
7. The safety belt of claim 6 wherein the grommets have a diameter suitable to accommodate bolts that have a diameter the same as preexisting bolts of lifting arms of the paratransit lift.
8. A safety belt for a paratransit lift comprising:
two lengths of webbing;
a separable latch positioned between the two lengths of webbing at first ends of the webbing;
attachment loops at second ends of the webbing opposite the first end.
9. The safety belt of claim 8 further comprising portions of hook and loop material attached to interiors of the attachment loops.
10. The safety belt of claim 8 further comprising abrasion resistant reinforcement attached to exteriors of the attachment loops.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US13/049,354 US20110227324A1 (en) | 2010-03-17 | 2011-03-16 | Paratransit lift with safety belts |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US31472210P | 2010-03-17 | 2010-03-17 | |
US34725010P | 2010-05-21 | 2010-05-21 | |
US13/049,354 US20110227324A1 (en) | 2010-03-17 | 2011-03-16 | Paratransit lift with safety belts |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20110227324A1 true US20110227324A1 (en) | 2011-09-22 |
Family
ID=44646607
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US13/049,354 Abandoned US20110227324A1 (en) | 2010-03-17 | 2011-03-16 | Paratransit lift with safety belts |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US20110227324A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20180200127A1 (en) * | 2017-01-17 | 2018-07-19 | Dale Binkley | Safety Belt System for Paratransit Lifts |
Citations (13)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3840849A (en) * | 1971-07-01 | 1974-10-08 | Allied Chem | Vehicle seat belt warning system |
US4726730A (en) * | 1986-06-03 | 1988-02-23 | Mcconnell Sylvia J | Device for handling a wheelchair |
US4785906A (en) * | 1987-05-29 | 1988-11-22 | Kang Choong S | Seat belt buckle having a built-in microswitch |
US5026244A (en) * | 1990-05-17 | 1991-06-25 | Stewart & Stevenson Power, Inc. | Wheelchair lift apparatus for commercial vehicles |
US5228538A (en) * | 1992-02-12 | 1993-07-20 | Ricon Corporation | Passenger lift with an electric safety interlock |
US5857682A (en) * | 1997-04-09 | 1999-01-12 | Hyman; Jeffrey N. | Snowboard storage compartment |
US20010006303A1 (en) * | 1999-09-01 | 2001-07-05 | Girardin Jean Marc | Universal wheelchair/seat restraint assembly |
US6357547B1 (en) * | 1999-04-05 | 2002-03-19 | Everett H. Kellog | Pole hitching device |
US6726435B1 (en) * | 2002-10-08 | 2004-04-27 | Chadco Enterprises, Inc. | Lift for a personal mobility vehicle or wheelchair |
US20060104775A1 (en) * | 2002-02-07 | 2006-05-18 | Kasten Michael E Jr | Safety belt system for wheelchair lifts |
US20100116960A1 (en) * | 2008-11-13 | 2010-05-13 | Michael Lusk | Accessory holding device mountable to handles of wheelbarrow |
US7766127B2 (en) * | 2006-09-06 | 2010-08-03 | Lift-U, Division Of Hogan Mfg., Inc. | Barrier assembly for a wheelchair lift |
US7832807B2 (en) * | 2008-06-19 | 2010-11-16 | Nina Shickle | Securement device |
-
2011
- 2011-03-16 US US13/049,354 patent/US20110227324A1/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (13)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3840849A (en) * | 1971-07-01 | 1974-10-08 | Allied Chem | Vehicle seat belt warning system |
US4726730A (en) * | 1986-06-03 | 1988-02-23 | Mcconnell Sylvia J | Device for handling a wheelchair |
US4785906A (en) * | 1987-05-29 | 1988-11-22 | Kang Choong S | Seat belt buckle having a built-in microswitch |
US5026244A (en) * | 1990-05-17 | 1991-06-25 | Stewart & Stevenson Power, Inc. | Wheelchair lift apparatus for commercial vehicles |
US5228538A (en) * | 1992-02-12 | 1993-07-20 | Ricon Corporation | Passenger lift with an electric safety interlock |
US5857682A (en) * | 1997-04-09 | 1999-01-12 | Hyman; Jeffrey N. | Snowboard storage compartment |
US6357547B1 (en) * | 1999-04-05 | 2002-03-19 | Everett H. Kellog | Pole hitching device |
US20010006303A1 (en) * | 1999-09-01 | 2001-07-05 | Girardin Jean Marc | Universal wheelchair/seat restraint assembly |
US20060104775A1 (en) * | 2002-02-07 | 2006-05-18 | Kasten Michael E Jr | Safety belt system for wheelchair lifts |
US6726435B1 (en) * | 2002-10-08 | 2004-04-27 | Chadco Enterprises, Inc. | Lift for a personal mobility vehicle or wheelchair |
US7766127B2 (en) * | 2006-09-06 | 2010-08-03 | Lift-U, Division Of Hogan Mfg., Inc. | Barrier assembly for a wheelchair lift |
US7832807B2 (en) * | 2008-06-19 | 2010-11-16 | Nina Shickle | Securement device |
US20100116960A1 (en) * | 2008-11-13 | 2010-05-13 | Michael Lusk | Accessory holding device mountable to handles of wheelbarrow |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20180200127A1 (en) * | 2017-01-17 | 2018-07-19 | Dale Binkley | Safety Belt System for Paratransit Lifts |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |